GR86 Traction control cutting power for 3+ seconds

[GRistopher]

Yesterday, someone flashed me out of a T-junction as I was waiting to turn right. The gap in the opposing lane required a decisive pull out but was certainly big enough for me to quickly whip out safely.
That was until the lightest of chirps from the rear tyres caused a complete cut in power for about 3 or 4 seconds, which left me rolling across the road at about 2 mph with zero ability to accelerate. The throttle didn't reopen until I had fully completed rolling accross the road into my lane and was already pointing down the road. This was not the car bogging down after TC intervention. It literally cut the power completely for this entire time. Is this normal? If it wasn't for the awareness of the driver in the lane I was crossing, this "safety system" would have got me T-boned. Not to mention that it made me look a right bellend pulling out of the junction 30 metres from my house.
I normally drive the car in track mode as I can't stand the intervention of systems like this. I'll be sure to disable it before pulling off the driveway in future.

For anyone interested, these were sunny dry conditions so it's not like there was a lack of grip either.

 

[leosayer]

May have been diesel on the road or something else to have caused lack of traction.

I haven't experienced such a long intervention but once the TC kicks in, it certainly seems to stay on for longer than seems necessary.

 

[GRistopher]

May have been diesel on the road or something else to have caused lack of traction.

I haven't experienced such a long intervention but once the TC kicks in, it certainly seems to stay on for longer than seems necessary.

no, grip levels were high. It was just a small chirp as I initially started moving. I understand a bit of TC intervention from the small break of traction, but It lasted so long that I felt like I was the evil henchman in front of the steamroller in Austin Powers.

 

[PaulT]

I've not experienced that myself, usually a little bit of slip is always allowed so you keep going forwards. Perhaps worth getting the wheel sensors checked, might just be a bit of grit or something in one?

 

[Joolone]

Yesterday, someone flashed me out of a T-junction as I was waiting to turn right. The gap in the opposing lane required a decisive pull out but was certainly big enough for me to quickly whip out safely.
That was until the lightest of chirps from the rear tyres caused a complete cut in power for about 3 or 4 seconds, which left me rolling across the road at about 2 mph with zero ability to accelerate. The throttle didn't reopen until I had fully completed rolling accross the road into my lane and was already pointing down the road. This was not the car bogging down after TC intervention. It literally cut the power completely for this entire time. Is this normal? If it wasn't for the awareness of the driver in the lane I was crossing, this "safety system" would have got me T-boned. Not to mention that it made me look a right bellend pulling out of the junction 30 metres from my house.
I normally drive the car in track mode as I can't stand the intervention of systems like this. I'll be sure to disable it before pulling off the driveway in future.

For anyone interested, these were sunny dry conditions so it's not like there was a lack of grip either.

I've not know this. Have you tried to emulate this? This will give you some anxious moments until sorted.

 

[GRistopher]

I've not know this. Have you tried to emulate this? This will give you some anxious moments until sorted.

I don't think its anything that's broken. It was the TC kicking in with the worst possible timing.

After a few days of reflection it was probably a sum of all these things:
-I definitely pulled away with intent causing a small chirp from the rear wheels that was enough to trigger the TC from a stand still.
-I pretty much exclusively drive in track mode (to avoid situations like this!) so I'm not used to the more aggressive intervention of the TC in normal.
-With the TC kicking in immediately the car had little to no momentum. in most cases when TC kicks in, you're already on the move the feeling of being stranded in no-man's-land is less profound as you're at least already going somewhere, rather than slowly moving across a lane oncoming traffic not too far away.
-I had steering lock applied. This is speculation but I'm guessing is the reason why the systems were hesitant to give me back control of the throttle, maybe it wanted to wait until I was moving in a straight line again before it gave me any power back.

 

[KobayashiMaru86]

I've been running track mode more and more so it forces me to drive smoother and avoid the cutting. The cutting comes in more when you've got angle on plus I'd fine it frustrating when you wanted a little slide and it would kill it and you'd feel a bit amateur. I'm no drifter but I do like the odd slide off roundabout exits and junctions.

 

[GRpirate]

I don’t bother with track mode through the winter. In the better months it’s my go too daily setting. I must admit that in normal mode I regularly give it bit to much throttle out of junction when no in built up areas of course and drive the back out. It does light up the TC but it never really stops forward progress as it quickly releases. Maybe if you don’t make any throttle adjustment it would hold the power off. I would try it again a few times as if it’s as described I would be inclined to think it had a fault. I also have tried leaving the TC on for a bit on millbrook handling day and it’s not great but far from tragic either. Track mode is superb and I don’t see any point in turning it all fully off on the road. Not to shabby on a track either.